Iowa coaches need to watch the Vikings play

[BigOHawk]

Minnesota loses their #1 QB to a season ending injury, their HOF RB in AP and all they have done is go undefeated with a pretty vanilla scheme, both offensively and defensively. This is all absent a plethora of All-Pro guys, just sound, fundamental, aggressive football. To me, its very similar to the Broncos scheme last year of scoring 21 pts/ish and letting the defense take over the game.

The Vikes have made Cam Newton, Rodgers and Eli look silly and frustrated them by grinding them down. Zimmer is a great defensive coach and with the Turners calling the plays while not flashy, it's getting the job done with Asiata at RB, although I will give you Rudolph at TE is a beast. They don't make Bradford do too much, they mix screen and draws and occassionally throw deep to (gulp) Charles Rodgers (late round pick), Diggs (4th-5th round) or Patterson/Treadwell, etc.

What I'm getting at is Minnesota knows what they can and can't do and what their limitations are and have adjusted. Obviously Iowa and Kirk won't (not that they can't) and perhaps they don't have the horses but would be nice to come out and at least try something else on both sides of the ball.

 

[Kurt Warner]

These coaches wouldn't consider anything other than their magnificent way of going about things. Too stubborn

 

[spbc7]

Because the Vikings model has been real successful...

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Because the Vikings model has been real successful...

Vikings > your team

Stop being bitter Bears, Packers or Lions fan.....and if you're a fan of another team then you really need to let your issues with Minnesota go. It's unbecoming.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Minnesota loses their #1 QB to a season ending injury, their HOF RB in AP and all they have done is go undefeated with a pretty vanilla scheme, both offensively and defensively. This is all absent a plethora of All-Pro guys, just sound, fundamental, aggressive football. To me, its very similar to the Broncos scheme last year of scoring 21 pts/ish and letting the defense take over the game.

The Vikes have made Cam Newton, Rodgers and Eli look silly and frustrated them by grinding them down. Zimmer is a great defensive coach and with the Turners calling the plays while not flashy, it's getting the job done with Asiata at RB, although I will give you Rudolph at TE is a beast. They don't make Bradford do too much, they mix screen and draws and occassionally throw deep to (gulp) Charles Rodgers (late round pick), Diggs (4th-5th round) or Patterson/Treadwell, etc.

What I'm getting at is Minnesota knows what they can and can't do and what their limitations are and have adjusted. Obviously Iowa and Kirk won't (not that they can't) and perhaps they don't have the horses but would be nice to come out and at least try something else on both sides of the ball.

The one thing I'll disagree with here is the idea that the Vikings' offensive scheme has been vanilla.

If you watched the game last night, then I'm not sure the word vanilla can be used. Scoring points doesn't determine whether an offense is "vanilla" or not..........

That's kind of a problem with our own fans when discussing Iowa's offense (particularly the idiots who exaggerate, but aren't really exaggerating, that Iowa runs the same 6 plays over and over).

Just sayin.

 

[Buffalo43]

Maybe we can get Randy Moss to climb the Kinnick water tower and wave at the crowd

 

[Hawk68]

The Vikes probably have the best D in the league after Denver. Their DL is superb and their schemes are great. Iowa has none of this.

They take just what Bradford can give them.

 

[IAFootball#1]

Maybe we can get Randy Moss to climb the Kinnick water tower and wave at the crowd

As long as he is up there, give the guy a brush. #paintthewatertower

 

[spbc7]

Vikings > your team

Stop being bitter Bears, Packers or Lions fan.....and if you're a fan of another team then you really need to let your issues with Minnesota go. It's unbecoming.

The Vikings model has won them 3 division titles and no conference titles in 15 years. We have been a replica of the Vikings under KF.

 

[Hammer93]

The Vikings model has won them 3 division titles and no conference titles in 15 years. We have been a replica of the Vikings under KF.

Coach Zimmer has been with the Vikings for 3 years now. I think the message of this Thread should be how much difference a coach can make. He has stressed toughness, discipline and creativity on both sides of the ball. I am a huge Vikings fan and I can tell you that in my lifetime (51 years) he is by far the best coach they have had (maybe Bud Grant). Coaching is where the difference is coming from there. Proof..... Pederson hurt, big deal. Teddy Bridgewater out for the season......he doesn't care. Move on and get better. He also is not afraid to go out and hire new coaches yearly. He finds the best creative minds and let's them coach. Zimmer is the difference.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

Wow! You know things have gotten bad for your football team when the Vikings are supposed to be your role model.

 

[dawgs_04]

all they have done is go undefeated with a pretty vanilla scheme, both offensively and defensively. This is all absent a plethora of All-Pro guys, just sound, fundamental, aggressive football.

You do realize this is literally Captain Kirk's plan for the last 17 years and is exactly what he is criticized for each and every year.

 

[blockm2]

Vikings > your team

Stop being bitter Bears, Packers or Lions fan.....and if you're a fan of another team then you really need to let your issues with Minnesota go. It's unbecoming.

So Minnesota beat 2 bad teams on the road and 2 good teams at home? Stop the presses. They've won 2 playoff games in the last 15 seasons. Let's see how they stand in December and January before getting carried away. Sam Bradford is playing so far beyond his career bests that he is bound to fall back the rest of the season.

 

[Eternal Return]

The Vikings model has won them 3 division titles and no conference titles in 15 years. We have been a replica of the Vikings under KF.

Um, this is only Mike Zimmer's third year as their head coach and he's instilled a totally different mentality. They went from the 31st ranked defense the year before he arrived to possibly the best (along with Denver). They are ferocious, mean, and angry dudes. The last time Iowa had a ferocious, mean, and hungry defense was probably 2008 or 2009.

 

[Stormn Norman]

The Vikings will eventually get back to Sucking.. I love when they do that.. With that being said the D has done relitivley well...

 

[Osiris_99]

Kirk Ferentz and Greg Davis are nowhere near Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner.

 

[Hammer93]

Kirk Ferentz and Greg Davis are nowhere near Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner.

^^^^^^ This. Seriously, for those who are watching the Vikings every week understand that they come out with some new twists every week that generally work well. Hell, they had McKinnon in the wild cat last weekend and really surprised NY. They are getting guys who have not played much at all in the game to run special plays or decoy and their ideas are working. They make changes and try new schemes every week. They actually practice on the things they don't do well and FIX them. Ferentz and Davis.......not so sure they have any creative ideas on how to use their rosters to get the most out of them. It's fairly obvious.

 

[Da_Big_Ticket]

Vikings > your team


Stop being bitter Bears, Packers or Lions fan.....and if you're a fan of another team then you really need to let your issues with Minnesota go. It's unbecoming.

I love the NFL and was interested to see what the group thought about this great post, but apparently there are too many Bear and Packer homers in here to give their rival any credit. All of the talking heads at ESPN, Fox, CBS, etc love what Zimmer has done in 2+ yrs. I'm not crowning them @ 4-0, but I do feel Zimmer has this team headed for a deep playoff run at some point in the near future.

And the Vikings history is not as bad you might think. Since the NFL merger in 1970, they've been to the playoffs 26 times. ONLY the Cowboys and Steelers have advanced more often. I think most of us know they're 0-4 in the SB, so is that why we just assume they're just like the Browns and Lions?

They've had a history of solid teams. I still remember Randy Moss' rookie season when they lost in OT to go to the SB because of a missed FG (only miss he had all season). Then Favre lost in the Bounty Gate game vs the Saints (in OT) to reach the SB. You need some luck to advance and the football gods have not come through for them.

Then last season they were a chip-shot FG away from beating Seattle and I think they would have won the next week and then played a hot Carolina in the NFC Championship game, a team they demolished this year in NC (8 sacks & 3 ints).

If you ask me, Vikings fans are some tough mother effers to keep coming back from all of that heartache. Just like Cub fans...

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

So much hatred for the Vikings. I love it.

Reminds me of how Nebraska fans treat Iowa. So yeah I'm likening the Iowa fans in here who have something against the Vikings to Nebraska fans. Deal with it.

"What have the Vikings ever done? My team has won a Super Bowl in the past. Talk to me when (Iowa) the Vikings win a big game. Until then, they'll always be pretenders."

That's what I hear when you guys try to trash on the Vikings. Hilarious.

Oh and your jealousy of this year's team is still unbecoming.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

So Minnesota beat 2 bad teams on the road and 2 good teams at home? Stop the presses. (And how many of those teams are better than your favorite team?) They've won 2 playoff games in the last 15 seasons. (That has absolutely nothing to do with this year. Besides, are you a Lions fan?) Let's see how they stand in December and January before getting carried away. (Who is getting carried away? Everyone here is just talking about how well they're playing despite adverse circumstances.) Sam Bradford is playing so far beyond his career bests that he is bound to fall back the rest of the season. (Lol that sounds more like something you want to happen than what actually will happen.)

 

[Da_Big_Ticket]

So Minnesota beat 2 bad teams on the road and 2 good teams at home? Stop the presses. They've won 2 playoff games in the last 15 seasons. Let's see how they stand in December and January before getting carried away. Sam Bradford is playing so far beyond his career bests that he is bound to fall back the rest of the season.

And one of those "bad" teams Minnesota beat on the road hadn't lost at home since Nov of 2014 and just played in a SB. SMH...

Do a little bit of research before popping off. Carolina is 1-3, but they've played the 2 best defenses in the NFL in Denver and Minnesota.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Um, this is only Mike Zimmer's third year as their head coach and he's instilled a totally different mentality. They went from the 31st ranked defense the year before he arrived to possibly the best (along with Denver). They are ferocious, mean, and angry dudes. The last time Iowa had a ferocious, mean, and hungry defense was probably 2008 or 2009.

Last time they were 4-0 was 2009.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

The Vikings will eventually get back to Sucking.. I love when they do that.. With that being said the D has done relitivley well...

Vikings > your team

Deal with it.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I love the NFL and was interested to see what the group thought about this great post, but apparently there are too many Bear and Packer homers in here to give their rival any credit. All of the talking heads at ESPN, Fox, CBS, etc love what Zimmer has done in 2+ yrs. I'm not crowning them @ 4-0, but I do feel Zimmer has this team headed for a deep playoff run at some point in the near future.

And the Vikings history is not as bad you might think. Since the NFL merger in 1970, they've been to the playoffs 26 times. ONLY the Cowboys and Steelers have advanced more often. I think most of us know they're 0-4 in the SB, so is that why we just assume they're just like the Browns and Lions?

They've had a history of solid teams. I still remember Randy Moss' rookie season when they lost in OT to go to the SB because of a missed FG (only miss he had all season). Then Favre lost in the Bounty Gate game vs the Saints (in OT) to reach the SB. You need some luck to advance and the football gods have not come through for them.

Then last season they were a chip-shot FG away from beating Seattle and I think they would have won the next week and then played a hot Carolina in the NFC Championship game, a team they demolished this year in NC (8 sacks & 3 ints).

If you ask me, Vikings fans are some tough mother effers to keep coming back from all of that heartache. Just like Cub fans...

Yup. I'm not celebrating anything. I just want progress.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I'd say the lesson to be learned is that you alter schemes to fit the personnel you have.
Which seems far removed from Iowa's current philosophy on either side of the ball.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I'd say the lesson to be learned is that you alter schemes to fit the personnel you have.
Which seems far removed from Iowa's current philosophy on either side of the ball.

There were some Alabama fans saying that Saban was looking to get away from the pro style mainly because of the athletes he has and that are coming in. That's just fans talk though, but to the point of this thread, adjusting to your personnel, even within your main offensive system, is just something that needs to be done.....especially when you have the talent and especially when some things aren't working.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

As an example, why try to run the long developing pass plays as much as they have when you don't have the pass protection or ability of receivers to get separation? Short passes from multiple different formations, screens, quick play actions would all be options. I'm always a big fan of rolling the qb out as well, but that just may not be an option with CJ this year.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I'm always a big fan of rolling the qb out as well, but that just may not be an option with CJ this year.

And as long as that's the case they will struggle. Always have.

 

[24 so far]

You do realize this is literally Captain Kirk's plan for the last 17 years and is exactly what he is criticized for each and every year.

I think you apparently skipped over the word aggressive in there. The Vikings this year alone have blitzed more in 4 games than Iowa does in a decade. Those kinds of things help you get off the Field, something this Iowa Defense can't do.

 

[24 so far]

I love the NFL and was interested to see what the group thought about this great post, but apparently there are too many Bear and Packer homers in here to give their rival any credit. All of the talking heads at ESPN, Fox, CBS, etc love what Zimmer has done in 2+ yrs. I'm not crowning them @ 4-0, but I do feel Zimmer has this team headed for a deep playoff run at some point in the near future.

And the Vikings history is not as bad you might think. Since the NFL merger in 1970, they've been to the playoffs 26 times. ONLY the Cowboys and Steelers have advanced more often. I think most of us know they're 0-4 in the SB, so is that why we just assume they're just like the Browns and Lions?

They've had a history of solid teams. I still remember Randy Moss' rookie season when they lost in OT to go to the SB because of a missed FG (only miss he had all season). Then Favre lost in the Bounty Gate game vs the Saints (in OT) to reach the SB. You need some luck to advance and the football gods have not come through for them.

Then last season they were a chip-shot FG away from beating Seattle and I think they would have won the next week and then played a hot Carolina in the NFC Championship game, a team they demolished this year in NC (8 sacks & 3 ints).

If you ask me, Vikings fans are some tough mother effers to keep coming back from all of that heartache. Just like Cub fans...

Tell me about it...............I have the Trifecta. Viking Fan, Cub Fan, Iowa Fan.

 

[24 so far]

The Vikings model has won them 3 division titles and no conference titles in 15 years. We have been a replica of the Vikings under KF.

There is no such thing as a "model" when you have 4 different Head Coaches in that timeframe. But I'm sure you knew that...................

 

[Kato Hawk]

Headlines in an AP story on the Vikings today: 4 Games in, unbeaten Vikings show resilience. Coach Zimmer -" Adapt or you get eaten up " .

 

[spbc7]

There is no such thing as a "model" when you have 4 different Head Coaches in that timeframe. But I'm sure you knew that...................

If that's how you chose to interpret "model" then sure

 

[Eternal Return]

Vikings have blitzed on about 30 percent of defensive snaps and they've been incredibly creative, confusing, well disguised blitz packages. I think maybe that was what the original poster might have been getting at. Maybe. The Vikings D is complex. Not sure Iowa's defensive players (outside of Jewell, Johnson, and King) have the talent, the discipline, or the understanding necessary to play a complex defense. Then again, who knows since the coaches have run the base 4-3 offense on seemingly 90 percent of plays since 1999. Gee, I wonder why it's so difficult for teams to diagnose what Iowa's doing defensively?

 

[blockm2]

And one of those "bad" teams Minnesota beat on the road hadn't lost at home since Nov of 2014 and just played in a SB. SMH...

Do a little bit of research before popping off. Carolina is 1-3, but they've played the 2 best defenses in the NFL in Denver and Minnesota.

as someone who lives in NC and has seen nearly every Panthers game since they drafted Cam Newton, you should probably hold off on thinking the Panthers are big time. They have been kinda up and down. They went 12-4 in 2013 and backed that up by going 7-9 in 2014. Last year 15-1, this year 1-3. The odds of them making the playoffs are < 50% this year.


So before you go "popping off" again, please do some more careful research.

 

[blockm2]

curious @EvilMonkeyInTheCloset (since I can't quote a post where you didn't do anything but edit a quote), what do you think Sam Bradford's end of year stats will be (passer rating, QBR, etc)? Do you think he will lead the league in either? Do you think he'll be top 5 in either? If not, how big is the dropoff from his current play going to be?

 

[David1979]

Iowa needs to watch tape of the '85 Bears and then play like that. Problem fixed.

 

[CP84]

The Vikings run a cover 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 and disguise them in the same series.

Zimmer is a great defensive coach and turned the Bengals around prior to coming to Minnesota.

Iowa hasn't changed on defense in 15 years outside of adding the Raider package.

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

These coaches wouldn't consider anything other than their magnificent way of going about things. Too stubborn

Thats funny because I have seen 3 formations-plays already this year that I only saw on Sunday's from last year. The play that Riley fumbled on like the 1 inch line, Green Bay Packers play. Gap scheme also from Green Bay

 

[Dauminator]

Iowa needs to watch tape of the '85 Bears and then play like that. Problem fixed.

Better yet, the '66 Packers. Why not the '07 Patriots?

It's just that easy.